Media Release

Mangaluru, Oct 3: Entrepreneurship is not just trailblazing rebellion, it is also a virtue of stewardship for continuous learning and sharing. This was demonstrated with finesse by Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) with the launch of their first KE Masterclass on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

The session built up with teasers in the preceding days and focused on an eye-opening and informative topic – Government Benefits to MSMEs.

The event began with the KE prayer led by lead member James Coelho, followed by a welcome note from Sunil Attavar, KE director mentoring. He explained how the idea emerged during a casual conversation between Sunil Pinto of Remedia Facilities Services Pvt Ltd and past president Claudius Pereira. Attavar reiterated that the session aimed to help non-tech MSMEs and startups understand and access government benefits.

Government incentives explained

Sunil Pinto introduced government incentives for existing businesses, startups and aspiring entrepreneurs, covering MSME registration, market development assistance, sector-specific schemes, StartUp India, GeM registration, and more. He highlighted their benefits, ranging from priority in government tenders to employability, and showcased live demos of government portals.

R Gopinath Rao, retired deputy director, MSME Development & Facilitation Office (GOI), spoke on ‘Funding Options Available under State and Central Government Schemes’. Drawing on over 25 years of experience in MSME promotion, Rao emphasised empowering entrepreneurs, building awareness of schemes, and encouraging digital transformation. He noted that digitisation eased registration, enabled access to funding, and supported women and minority entrepreneurs. He also highlighted the mindset shift from job-seeking to entrepreneurship and stressed leveraging cluster development to sustain businesses.

Focus on financial literacy

After a short break, the masterclass resumed with Edwin D’Souza, director of the Financial Literacy Center, SBI, who spoke on the importance of maintaining a high personal and business credit score. He explained the relevance of the CIBIL score, introduced account and insurance products, and discussed various government insurance schemes. His session generated keen engagement and questions from participants.

Debating funding strategies

The final segment featured a debate on IPO and fundraising options, with venture capital perspectives from Kaillshnath M S, CFA and partner, Ideaspring Capital, and the contrarian view from KE lead member Anil Francis Rego of Right Horizons Financial Services Pvt Ltd. Moderated by Sunil Attavar, the discussion covered industry outlook, funding preparation, and strategies. The panelists debated whether all businesses require external funding and the right time to raise capital, while also stressing clarity, differentiation, and long-term planning. They also explored industry trends, valuation, investor expectations, and common mistakes by founders.

Acknowledgements and takeaways

To conclude the session, Leena Lobo, KE director membership, delivered the vote of thanks with a special mention to KE GenNow member Alden D’Souza for his role as emcee.

Participants received booklets outlining schemes and programs discussed, along with a complimentary business bag. The professionalism and content of the session highlighted the strength of KE’s network and expertise. The masterclass ended with lunch and networking, reinforcing KE’s commitment to bringing value to its members.